Hands-On With The Exciting New Chronoswiss Pulse GMT
Chronoswiss has long been associated with traditional watch design. While the brand hasn’t lost that classic touch, it has drastically changed the overall appearance of its watches by using new materials and bold colors. On top of that, Chronoswiss has introduced designs that show how its signature style can evolve into modern watches with a ton of character. The best example is the Pulse series. I love how the Pulse models hit the sweet spot between contemporary design and the classic Chronoswiss traits. The new Pulse GMT is more proof of that, and I had a chance to go hands-on with both the titanium and rose gold versions.
When the first Chronoswiss Pulse models debuted, they immediately caught my attention. The Pulse One, which the brand introduced last spring, showed how the signature Chronoswiss style can perfectly fuse with the popular genre of integrated-bracelet sports watches. Lex reviewed the Pulse One Sand, which is my favorite of the two available options. It retains the Chronoswiss DNA through its round case, knurled bezel, large onion crown, and a regulator layout deeply rooted in the brand’s history. However, the integrated bracelet and titanium construction make it a more modern watch. It was a really nice surprise, so as you will understand, I was curious to learn more about the new Pulse GMTs.
The story of the Chronoswiss Pulse GMT
For this latest release, the designers at Chronoswiss used the modern Pulse style to develop a new GMT model. But they also delved into the archives and drew inspiration for this watch from the classic Chronoswiss Tora. More specifically, the designers used the ’90s classic’s dual-time-zone layout for this new travel watch. It has resulted in a modern, sporty GMT that pays homage to the brand’s history.
Let’s talk specs first before we get into the design details. Both watches feature a round 41mm case with a knurled bezel and an integrated bracelet. This case also has a 13mm thickness, a 46.27mm lug-to-lug, and guards on the right side to protect the oversized onion-style crown.
Most Chronoswiss watches lack crown guards, but they add a nice modern touch to the Pulse GMT that suits the design very well. The case band of both the titanium and rose gold models features a matte-blasted finish, subtly contrasted by the brushed bezel and case back. I must say that I adore this clever mix of finishes.
A brilliant integrated bracelet
The case flows nicely into the 23mm-wide end links of the in-house-designed integrated bracelet. The transition from the case to the bracelet is smooth, and the latter proudly displays its impressive engineering and execution. Once you bend the bracelet, its predominantly brushed links show a bit of polished brilliance on the lower connecting points.
The bracelet also tapers gracefully to 18mm at the hidden butterfly clasp. This clasp displays engineering at its best. The last three links of the bracelet have a recessed cutout to ensure the clasp sits flush with the inner surfaces. As a result, the watch wraps itself beautifully around the wrist, keeping the clasp’s arms invisible from the top and sides of the links. Honestly, I found the design and engineering deeply impressive, and it’s hard to fathom why this isn’t the industry standard for luxury watches with bracelets and butterfly clasps.
The titanium Pulse GMT
Let’s zoom in on the two models Chronoswiss launched. The first is a lightweight titanium version featuring a very detailed, domed brass dial with a nickel galvanic coating. A lot is going on here, so let’s move from the outside in. The slightly sloping outer ring holds the minute track and contains Arabic numerals for every five minutes. Located between the numerals are polished, blue PVD-coated markers that add a bit of color. The second ring is raw sandblasted brass and features the Chronoswiss logo in black. At 6 o’clock, you will also see the watch’s specific number out of 200 pieces. If you then let your eyes focus on the center, you will find that it features two hand-guilloché patterns. Some fun details are the thin, polished rings between the three parts, which add some extra visual detail.
Of course, the big eye-catchers are the two domed brass sub-dials at 3 and 9 o’clock, sandblasted and finished with a galvanic coating. The right sub-dial displays large numerals indicating the hours for the local time, while the sub-dial at 9 o’clock features a 24-hour scale to display the home time. The numerals for both scales are printed in black.
On both the titanium and rose gold versions of the Pulse GMT, the small hands for the two sub-dials, as well as the centrally mounted minute and seconds hands, are polished and blued. A nice detail is that the tips of the centrally mounted hands are curved to match the dial’s shape. Overall, I love the level of detail here. Small intricacies constantly reveal themselves, which kept me returning to the dial again and again.
The rose gold variant
For the rose gold Pulse GMT, Chronoswiss made the center of the dial quite different. All the other parts correspond with the dial of the titanium model. The center, however, is made of curved white gold with a wavy hand-guilloché pattern and is covered with multiple layers of transparent blue enamel, decorated with star-shaped pieces of fine gold foil. This immediately transforms the watch’s presence and fits the rose gold case and bracelet nicely. On top of that, the detail and craftsmanship are mighty impressive.
Every time I saw the watch, it reminded me a bit of the Breguet Marine Alarm Musicale ref. 5547 that I reviewed in 2020. That watch made a lasting impression thanks to its rose gold bracelet. To this day, it remains the most impressive bracelet I have ever witnessed up close. While the rose gold bracelet of the Pulse GMT is not up to that level of mind-boggling quality, it is still a brilliant bracelet on an equally brilliant watch, produced in a limited run of 50 pieces.
The Chronoswiss C.6002 movement
If you turn both watches around, you will get a great view of the Chronoswiss caliber C.6002. This 29-jewel automatic movement was created in collaboration with La Joux-Perret. It has a 33.4mm diameter, a 4Hz (28,800vph) frequency, and a 55-hour power reserve. The caliber also features a three-pronged Glucydur balance wheel, a Nivarox 1 balance spring, Incabloc shock protection, and a skeletonized tungsten rotor bearing the Chronoswiss logo.
Additionally, the ruthenium-plated movement is neatly finished in the brand’s Lucerne atelier and features a Geneva-striped bridge and polished screws. In terms of practicality, pulling the crown to the first position will let you adjust the 24-hour hand of the timezone display at 9 o’clock in one-hour increments.
Pulling the crown out to the second position will allow you to set the local time displayed by the central minute hand and the corresponding hour display at 3 o’clock. Notably, the 24-hour hand in the display at 9 o’clock will also move with the local time display.
Wearing the Chronoswiss Pulse GMT
On the wrist, the titanium version of the Chronoswiss Pulse GMT impressed me more than the rose gold one. Not only would it be my pick for presence, but it’s also a nice, lightweight multi-time watch that wears like a dream. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the watch sat on my wrist despite its substantial dimensions. The combined curvature of the case and the bracelet made it fit my wrist like a glove. On top of that, the fact that the clasp “disappears” within the bracelet’s links makes it wear even better. Frankly, I wasn’t prepared for the persuasive powers of the Chronoswiss Pulse GMT, but simply wearing it proved to be a wonderful experience.
In terms of presence, the detailed dials of both models are rather impressive. The guilloché pattern of the titanium model is wonderful and contrasts nicely with the matte surfaces of the dial and case. It creates a look that perfectly balances traditional watchmaking techniques with modern-day materials and finishing. On top of that, the monochromatic look is right up my alley.
The rose gold model has a slightly more classic overall presence, which is why the guilloché dial with transparent blue enamel complements the rose gold case and bracelet so well. On top of that, there is a heft to gold that always impresses, even though this is far from the heaviest rose gold watch I have ever worn. The case and bracelet together contain 192 grams of rose gold. Still, a watch around 200 grams certainly feels hefty.
Final thoughts on the Chronoswiss Pulse GMT
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the two Chronoswiss Pulse GMT models. Though I was looking forward to finding out whether these two watches were for me, simply putting the titanium version on my wrist once was enough to win me over. I had my reservations about the almost owl-like look of the two sub-dials, but they are wonderful and match the curved dial perfectly. It was more proof that you need to experience watches in the metal to enjoy and appreciate them properly.
The style of these two watches is perfectly in sync with the Pulse One models that Lex reviewed. Having said that, I perfectly understand that they are an acquired taste. But then again, Chronoswiss has always been a brand for a dedicated group of fans. Seeing how well these two Pulse GMTs connect the past with the present, I do not doubt that fans of the brand will understand this modern direction of the Pulse lineup.
As for prices, the titanium version retails for €18,500, while the rose gold one costs €87,000. Those prices are in line with some of the other integrated-bracelet watches from high-end brands. On top of that, production runs are limited to 200 pieces for the titanium model and 50 for the rose gold model, making them watches for Chronoswiss enthusiasts and collectors. And after experiencing the two watches up close, I would not be surprised if all available pieces sell out quickly. For me, spending time with the titanium Pulse GMT was one of the most fun, awe-inspiring hands-on experiences I’ve had recently, as well as one of the best surprises early in the year.
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